Near the end, where Nick Fury and Tony Stark are talking about the Avengers, there is a world map behind them featuring dots. The dots show where the Avengers are: New York (Iron Man); Arctic Circle (Captain America); Europe (Black Widow); Lower Africa (Wakanda for Black Panther); California (Hulk); New Mexico (Thor); Southern Atlantic Ocean (Namor the Sub-Mariner).

At the end of the movie when Nick Fury and Tony Stark are talking in the warehouse, the news report seen on the TV is a broadcast from the fight between the Hulk and the army at the university campus from 'The Incredible Hulk' movie.

The late DJ Adam Goldstein appears as himself in the movie during Stark's party. The film is dedicated to his memory.

During the movie, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil Coulson holds up a circular red, white and blue object with a star and asks where he got it. That was Captain America's shield, which also appeared in the first movie in the background, which caused a stir by the fans.

The suits were much lighter than the ones used in the first movie, and the legs were left off. From the thighs down the actors were covered in digital markers and the bottom part of the suits were later added with CGI. (As stated in Popular Science, June 2010.)

Spoiler: The film closely resembles several key Iron Man stories from the comics. The part when he was drunk references the "Demon in a bottle" storyline, where Rhodey dons an Iron Man suit. The part of him dying is somewhat similar to "Ultimate Iron Man." Also, the idea that his technology is used in a way he doesn't like and having a battle is similar to the "Armor Wars" plot.

Ivan Vanko is a mixture of two Iron Man villians: Whiplash, which is the primary part, and Crimson Dynamo. Anton Vanko (Ivan's father) was the original Dynamo and in the final battle, Vanko wears a suit similar to Dynamo, as it's a hybrid between that and Whiplash.

Attack of the Show host Olivia Munn mentioned she was to have another role in the movie. She played reporter Chess Roberts, but originally had a somewhat bigger role. She was to play a girl at Stark's birthday party who then appears in his bedroom. The scene was eventually cut because it didn't have any comedy in it.

During the fight between Tony and Jim, Tony says "Step up if you think you have what it takes to be a war machine". War Machine is the name of the modified Iron Man armor that Jim wears in the comics.

As with the last Iron Man movie stay till after the end credits for an extra character spot.

Stan Lee makes his customary cameo. He is mistakenly introduced to Tony during the Expo as Larry King.

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At the end of the movie where Stark, Rhody and the Senator is taking a photo, Stark's hand is supposed to be behind the senator but when the scene switches to the zoomed out view, his hands are by his side and when it switches back again, his hands are behind the senator.